Terminal for pneumatic-tube systems.



No. 891,144. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.

0.3. BURTON.

TERMINAL FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEMS. APPLICATION FILED Irmnzo. 1907.

A llomey THE NORRIS PETERS C04, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STAE if BEIGE.

CHARLES H. BURTON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEUNITED STATES PNEUMATIC COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ACORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

TERMINAL FOR PNEUMATIC-TUBE SYSTEMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. BURTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at WVashington, District of Columbia, have in vented certainnew and useful Improvements in Terminals for Pneumatic-Tube Systems,(Case B of which the following is a specification.

The present invention consists of'certain new and useful improvements inpneumatic store service systems, and has particular relation to thedespatching and receiving ter minal of such systems.

In the general type of pneumatic store service systems now in commonuse, the entrance to the despatching tube, and the terminal at the endof the receiving tube are-located closely adjacent to one another, theterminal usually being extended somewhat above the entrance to thedespatch tube, its end portion being curved downwardly; Both theentrance to the despatch tube, and the exit of the despatch tube areusually provided with spring hinged doors, the door at the exit of theterminal being so balanced that normally the tension of the spring hingeis sufficient to keep it tightly closed, but when the carrier arrivesthereon, the ad ditional weight is sufficient to cause the said door toswing open and allow the carrier to drop.

T he despatching and receiving tubes are generally arranged side byside, a communication therebetween being usually located adjacent totheir upper portions. The upper end of the receiving tube is usuallyextended beyond the despatch tube entrance, and the terminal is attachedto, or carried by such end, and a valve is so mounted within the terminal, that it will normally be in a position to close the end of thereceiving tube.

It is with special relation to the parts of pneumatic store servicesystems just briefly referred to that my present invention is designed,and therefore the principal object is to provide a terminal for thereception and delivery of the carrier, in which accurate and efficientmeans are provided for the guiding of the carrier therethrough, so thatsaid carrier will be readily transmitted to the exit Specification-ofLetters Patent.

Application filed June 20, 1907.

Patented June 16, 1968.

Serial No. 379,920.

Ejoor in proper position to readily open said oor. 1

Another object is to provide a new form of communication between thedespatch tube and the receiving tube.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed description, pointed out in theappended claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawings.

On the accompanying sheet of drawing I have illustrated my invention ina longitudinal sectional view, a portion only of the despatch tube andreceiving tube being shown.

Like characters of reference refer to corresponding parts in thedescription and the drawing.

1 designates a despatch tube, the upper end of which is closed by aspring hinged door 2. v

3 designates a receiving tube which preferably extends along side of thedespatch tube 1, and A designates a shortlength connecting pipe by meansof which communication is established between the despatch tube 1 andreceiving tube 3. This pipe 4 extends at right angles to the despatchtube 1 and receiving tube 3, its connection with the tube 3 being aswiveled one. That is, one end of the pipe 4 loosely encircles orembraces the tube 3 within the plane of a guard grating presentlyreferred to, and said mounting permits of a horizontal movement of thedespatch tube relatively to the receiving tube 3, where such a movementis necessary or desirable, to accommodate the terminal to any particularspace requirements. At the unction of the pipe 4 with the receiving tube3, a portion of the receiving tube is left open, such opening beingapproximately the same size as the diameter of pipe 4:, and

into this opening is placed a perforated guard plate or grating 5.

6 designates the upper end of the receiving tube 3. This upper portionprojects some what beyond the upper end of the despatch tube 1, and theend thereof is beveled off to form a valve seat 6 7 designates theterminal in which the carrier is received. This terminal is carried by,or attached to, the upper portion of the receiving tube 3. The terminalcomprises a short front vertical wall 8, the upper end of whichterminates in an inclined portion 9, such inclined portion ending in ahorizontal top portion 10.

11 designates a long vertical rear wall and 12 designates a shortvertical wall, which, in conjunction with the lower portion of the wall11, form a short tube.

13 designates a spring hinge at the lower end of wall 12, and 14designates a door mounted upon the spring hinge 13, the tension of suchspring hinge being sufiicient to normally retain the door in a closedposition. The short vertical wall 12, terminates at its upper end in aninclined wall portion 15, and from the upper part of this inclinedmember 15, a downwardly inclined portion 16 eX- tends to the upper endof the receiving tube 6. This downwardly inclined portion 16 is arrangedat substantially the same angle as the beveled upper portion of thereceiving tube 3 17 designates a short deflecting wall which extendsupward within the terminal 7, the object of which is to provide a lineof division and deflection between the entrance to the terminal and theexit therefrom. Within the terminal 7, and adjacent to the outlet endofthe receiving tube 3, a valve 18 is located. This valve has a suitablehinge connection 18* within the terminal and is retained closed on theseat 6 at the end of the receiving tube 3 by the suction therein. Thearrangement of this valve relatively to the end of the receiving tube issuch that when the valve is in its normal, or closed, position, thebeveled end 6* of the tube and the inclined portion 16, forms its seat.

19 designates an air admission port that is formed within the inclinedportion 9 of the terminal 7.

21 designates a buffer that is secured to the top portion of theterminal. This bufier may be of any preferred construction, for example,I have illustrated an ordinary cushion consisting of packed hair with .acloth covering.

The operation of the invention is as follows :-The circuit of the air isup the receiving tube 3, through the grating 5 and'short pipe 4, thencedown the despatch tube 1 to a suction appliance, not shown. The terminal7 is normally closed at all points excepting the air port 19, hencethere is normally no working pressure or suction of air in the terminal. The carrier coming up the receiving tube 3, rapidly passes overthe grating 5, and strikes and opens the valve 18, the momentum of thecarrier being such that it continues on into the terminal until itcontacts with the inclined portion 9 of the terminal, by which it isguided up to the buffer 21, which stops the carriers upward movement,and caused it to drop down along the rear wall 11 of the terminal, enterthe tube formed by walls 1.1 and 12, and then onto the door 14', which,owing to the weight of the carrier overcoming the tension of the sprinhinge causes the door to swing open and al ow the carrier to bedischarged. As soon as the carrier opens the valve 18, the air withinthe termina will be drawn down the tube 3 and through the tube 4, intothe despatching tube 1. This establishes a line of suction from theterminal which acts upon the valve 18 immediately after the carrier haspassed, causing said valve to promptly swing to its closed position bysuction.

It will be understood that the grating 5 at the junction of thereceiving tube 3 and the short pipe 4, serve the important function ofpreventing any part of the carrier being drawn into the despatch tube,should such parts become separated or broken from the carrier during itstransmission to the terminal.

I claim as my invention 1. In an apparatus of the class described, adespatch tube; a receiving tube arranged parallel thereto; a swivelconnection between said tubes; a terminal at the end of the receivingtube and provided with a Wall forming a line of division and deflectionbetween its entrance and-its exit; a valve mounted in' the terminal andnormally closing the entrance thereto by suction, but adapted to beopened by impact of a carrier, and a door on said terminal for thedelivery of the carrier.

2. In an apparatus of the class described,.a despatch tube; a receivingtube; a pipe con nection between the despatch tube and the receivingtube; a terminal provided with a division wall at the end of thereceiving tube; a valve mounted in said terminal normally retained inaclosed position, but adapted to be opened by the impact of the carrier;the said terminal being provided with an air ad mission port, and withan inclined portion which form a guide for the carrier, and a springhinged door which is normally retained in a closed position, but whichis adapted to be opened by the weight of the carrier.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a despatch tube; a receivingtube; a pipe connection between the despatch tube and the receivingtube; a terminal at the end of the receiving tube; a valve mounted inthe terminal and adapted to be normally retained in a position to closethe entrance thereto by suction, but which is opened by the impact ofthe carrier; a carrier guide within the terminal having an air admissionport formed therein; a buffer at the top of the terminal;

a spring hinged delivery door carried by the terminal normally retainedin ,a closed position, but which is opened by the Weight of the carrier;and a division and deflecting Wall extending Within the terminal adaptedto divide the entrance to the terminal from the exit therefrom.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

CHARLES H. BURTON.

Witnesses D. P. WOLHAUPTER, R. O. BRADDOOK.

